A robots.txt file is an essential part of your Blogger website's SEO strategy. It helps search engines understand which pages to crawl and which to avoid. By customizing the robots.txt file, you can prevent indexing of unnecessary pages and improve your site's search engine ranking.
In this guide, you'll learn how to add and customize the robots.txt file in Blogger easily.
What is Robots.txt?
The robots.txt file is a simple text file that tells search engine crawlers which pages or sections of your site should be crawled and indexed. It follows the Robots Exclusion Protocol (REP), which is respected by major search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Why is Robots.txt Important?
- Prevents indexing of duplicate or low-value pages.
- Controls which parts of your website search engines can access.
- Helps improve SEO by directing crawlers to important pages.
- Prevents private or sensitive pages from appearing in search results.
Steps to Add a Custom Robots.txt in Blogger
Step 1: Access Blogger Settings
- Log in to your Blogger Dashboard.
- Click on Settings from the left sidebar.
- Scroll down to the Crawlers and Indexing section.
- Locate Custom robots.txt and toggle it ON.
Step 2: Add Your Custom Robots.txt Code
- Click on the Custom robots.txt option.
- Copy and paste the following recommended
robots.txtcode:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: /
Sitemap: https://yourblog.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml- Click Save to apply the changes.
Note: Replace
yourblog.blogspot.comwith your actual Blogger site URL.
Explanation of the Robots.txt Code
User-agent: *→ Applies rules to all search engine bots.Disallow: /search→ Prevents indexing of search result pages (avoids duplicate content issues).Allow: /→ Allows search engines to index all other pages.Sitemap: [Your Sitemap URL]→ Helps search engines discover all pages on your site efficiently.
Verifying Your Robots.txt File
After saving your custom robots.txt file, you can verify it by visiting:
https://yourblog.blogspot.com/robots.txtIf the file displays the rules you entered, it means your changes are live.
Best Practices for Robots.txt in Blogger
- Never block important pages like posts, pages, or categories.
- Always allow your sitemap to be indexed for better crawling.
- Use the Robots.txt Tester in Google Search Console to check for errors.
Final Thoughts
Adding a robots.txt file in Blogger is a simple yet crucial step for SEO optimization. By following this guide, you can ensure that search engines efficiently crawl and index your blog, leading to better visibility in search results.
If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to comment below!